adj
noun
Freq #6530
Meanings
-
1
adj
Designed or intended to keep someone or something safe.
Workers must wear protective clothing on the site.
-
2
adj
Wanting to keep someone safe; caring strongly about protecting someone.
Mother bears are famously protective of their cubs.
Thesaurus
Word family
Derived forms
atheroprotectiveautoprotectiveaxoprotectivebioprotectivebronchoprotectivecanceroprotectivecarcinoprotectivecardioprotectivecarioprotectivecerebroprotectivechemoprotectivecholangioprotective
Etymology
Etymology tree Medieval Latin prōtēctīvusbor. English protective Borrowed from Medieval Latin prōtēctīvus. By surface analysis, protect + ive.
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